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Crystals
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Surface Modification Treatments of Metallic Materials (2nd Edition)
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Surface Modification Treatments of Metallic Materials (2nd Edition)

A special issue of Crystals (ISSN 2073-4352). This special issue belongs to the section "Crystalline Metals and Alloys".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 January 2026) | Viewed by 2679

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yong Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Shanxi Key Laboratory of Precision Machining, College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Interests: machining; surface strengthening processing; fatigue of materials; surface integrity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Zongwei Ren

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Manufacturing Laboratory, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 1138656, Japan
Interests: machining; surface integrity; vibration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jiaqiang Dang

E-Mail
Guest Editor Assistant
State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Interests: material processing; surface integrity; ultrasonic surface rolling; fatigue; microstructure; gear
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This new Special Issue of Crystals, Surface Modification Treatments of Metallic Materials (Second Edition), continues a previous collection (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/crystals/special_issues/4DZ269C2OB).

Crystalline metals and alloys with distinguished mechanical properties and fatigue resistance have been universally applied in critical components of the aviation industry. Fatigue failure is a common mode for aviation components owing to harsh service conditions. In general, the surface integrity of manufactured components is essential since it directly influences fatigue crack initiation and initial propagation. However, it is challenging to manufacture parts with high surface integrity due to the poor machinability of high-strength metallic materials. On the one hand, machining marks tend to become stress concentrators, which accelerates surface crack nucleation. On the other hand, machining-induced tensile residual stresses contribute to crack tip openings, which deteriorate the fatigue resistance of the parts. Therefore, the surface integrity of crystalline metals and alloys should be carefully improved by surface modification treatments, and it is essential to study distribution characteristics subjected to different surface modification treatments. To date, many surface modification treatments have emerged from both the scientific and engineering fields, and more attention has been paid to utilizing them to improve the fatigue properties of the parts.

This Special Issue of Crystals aims to provide a forum for original research works and review articles on current advances in the field of surface modification of metallic materials. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, shot peening, deep rolling, laser shock peening, ultrasonic surface rolling, surface mechanical attrition treatment, ultrasonic impact treatment, micro-forging, mechanical machining, and applications for the surface modification of metallic materials. Submissions may investigate advanced surface modification techniques, surface integrity characterization, mechanical property evaluation, fatigue testing, simulation, and applications.

Dr. Yong Wang
Dr. Zongwei Ren
Guest Editors

Dr. Jiaqiang Dang
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Crystals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • surface modification
  • surface integrity
  • microstructure
  • residual stress
  • surface morphology
  • microhardness
  • metallic materials
  • mechanical property
  • fatigue
  • high-performance manufacturing

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 16596 KB  
Article
Thermal Stability of Cu/Zn-15Al-(Ni)/Al Joints: The Role of Ni-Refined Interfacial Layer in Retarding Phase Decomposition
by Tao Chen, Tengzhou Xu, Jingyi Luo, Peng He, Kai Meng, Siyi Chen, Wen Chen, Junyu Li and Rui Ji
Crystals 2026, 16(2), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst16020131 - 11 Feb 2026
Viewed by 330
Abstract
Thermal degradation of the interfacial microstructure critically limits the service life of Zn-Al brazed Cu/Al joints. This work elucidates the stabilizing role of trace Ni (0.3 wt.%) in retarding interfacial deterioration during 200 °C isothermal aging for up to 1000 h. Microstructural evolution [...] Read more.
Thermal degradation of the interfacial microstructure critically limits the service life of Zn-Al brazed Cu/Al joints. This work elucidates the stabilizing role of trace Ni (0.3 wt.%) in retarding interfacial deterioration during 200 °C isothermal aging for up to 1000 h. Microstructural evolution and micromechanical responses were probed via SEM, EDS, and nanoindentation. In Ni-free joints, continuous Zn influx triggers the decomposition of the massive CuAl2 phase into a defect-ridden, Zn-rich lamellar structure, precipitating a sharp decline in shear strength from 57 MPa to 37.5 MPa. Conversely, Ni doping constructs a robust fine-grained interfacial architecture. The Ni-bearing coral-like layer exhibits exceptional morphological stability, while the underlying Cu-based transition layer undergoes in situ stratification and Zn ejection, functioning as a chemical buffer to intercept Zn diffusion. This microstructural reconfiguration enables Ni-doped joints to sustain a shear strength of ~55.2 MPa after 1000 h—matching the initial strength of Ni-free counterparts. The superior durability stems from the modulus softening of the stratified transition layer and a multi-stage crack deflection mechanism, offering a viable metallurgical strategy for robust Cu/Al interconnects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification Treatments of Metallic Materials (2nd Edition))
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14 pages, 8312 KB  
Article
Influence of Reflow Cycles of the Pb–Free/Pb Hybrid Assembly Process on the IMCs Growth Interface of Micro-Solder Joints
by Xinyuan He, Qi Zhang, Qiming Cui, Yifan Bai, Lincheng Fu, Zicong Zhao, Chuanhang Zou and Yong Wang
Crystals 2025, 15(6), 516; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst15060516 - 28 May 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1026
Abstract
Under the dual impetus of environmental regulations and reliability requirements, the Pb–free/Pb hybrid assembly process in aerospace-grade ball grid array (BGA) components has become an unavoidable industrial imperative. However, constrained process compatibility during single or multiple reflow protocols amplifies structural heterogeneity in solder [...] Read more.
Under the dual impetus of environmental regulations and reliability requirements, the Pb–free/Pb hybrid assembly process in aerospace-grade ball grid array (BGA) components has become an unavoidable industrial imperative. However, constrained process compatibility during single or multiple reflow protocols amplifies structural heterogeneity in solder joints and accelerates dynamic microstructural evolution, thereby elevating interfacial reliability risks at solder joint interfaces. This paper systematically investigated phase composition, grain dimensions, thickness evolution, and crystallographic orientation patterns of interfacial intermetallic compounds (IMCs) in hybrid micro-solder joints under multiple reflows, employing electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The result shows that the first reflow induces prismatic Cu6Sn5 grain formation driven by Pb aggregation zones and elevated Cu concentration gradients. Surface-protruding fine grains significantly increase kernel average misorientation (KAMave) of 0.68° while minimizing crystallographic orientation preference density (PFmax) of 15.5. Higher aspect ratios correlate with elongated grain morphology, consequently elevating grain size of 5.3 μm and IMC thickness of 5.0 μm. Subsequent reflows fundamentally alter material dynamics: Pb redistribution transitions from clustered to randomized spatial configurations, while grains develop pronounced in-plane orientation preferences that reciprocally influence Sn crystal alignment. The second reflow produces scallop-type grains with minimized dimensions of 4.0 μm and a thickness of 2.1 μm, with a KAMave of 0.37° and PFmax of 20.5. The third reflow initiates uniform growth of scalloped grains of 7.0 μm with a stable population density, whereas the fifth reflow triggers a semicircular grain transformation of 9.1 μm through conspicuous coalescence mechanisms. This work elucidates multiple reflow IMC growth mechanisms in Pb–free/Pb hybrid solder joints, providing critical theoretical and practical insights for optimizing hybrid technologies and reliability management strategies in high-reliability aerospace electronics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification Treatments of Metallic Materials (2nd Edition))
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Review

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77 pages, 14413 KB  
Review
Welding Techniques and Microstructural Control for Dissimilar Cu/Al Joints
by Dong Jin, Juan Pu, Xiaohui Shi, Xiangping Xu, Zhaoqi Zhang and Fei Long
Crystals 2026, 16(3), 172; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst16030172 - 2 Mar 2026
Viewed by 936
Abstract
Welding copper (Cu) and aluminum (Al) is highly demanded for lightweight and cost-effective manufacturing. However, it faces significant challenges. First, substantial differences in physical properties may lead to high residual stresses and distortion. Second, brittle intermetallic compounds (IMCs) readily form at the interface, [...] Read more.
Welding copper (Cu) and aluminum (Al) is highly demanded for lightweight and cost-effective manufacturing. However, it faces significant challenges. First, substantial differences in physical properties may lead to high residual stresses and distortion. Second, brittle intermetallic compounds (IMCs) readily form at the interface, severely compromising the joint’s mechanical properties and electrical conductivity. Third, the native oxide film on Al impedes effective wetting and bonding. Therefore, effective control over the interfacial microstructure of the welded joint is essential. This review provides a critical analysis and comparison of several typical welding techniques, including laser welding (LW), friction stir welding (FSW), ultrasonic welding (UW), brazing and soldering, and welding–brazing. These analyses focus on their process characteristics, joint microstructures, and corresponding formation mechanisms. Furthermore, this review synthesizes key strategies for enhancing joint quality, including process parameter optimization, introduction of functional interlayers, and external assistance, aimed at optimizing joint microstructure and minimizing defects. Based on the analysis, this work provides comparative insights into process selection and microstructure control, and highlights future directions: advancing novel methods such as magnetic pulse welding and transient liquid phase bonding; developing intelligent real-time process control to suppress brittle IMCs and associated defects; promoting sustainable practices and establishing standardized performance evaluation; and systematically investigating long-term reliability to support the industrial application of robust Cu/Al joints. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification Treatments of Metallic Materials (2nd Edition))
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